Topic:HumanBodySystems

GradeLevel:6th8thgradeLifeScience(ideally8thgrade)
EssentialQuestion:Whatisthestructureandfunctionofthesystemsinourbodiesand
howdotheyinteractwitheachotherwhilesimultaneouslyhelpingustolive,grow,and
reproduce?
Overarching:
Howdothevariousbodysystemsinteract?
Howdotechnologieshelpandhinderhowourbodiesaresupposedto
work?
Howhasgeneticsinfluencewhythewayeachpersonlooks?
Whatsimilaritiesdohumanshavetootherlivingthingsinthestructure
andfunctionoftheirvarioussystems?
Topical
Whatisthepurposeofeachofthesystemsofthebodyandhowdothey
helpussurvive?
Howdoesourbodyknowwhattodowhen?
Whatarethemainorgansortissuesineachbodysystem?
ContentStandards:
NebraskaStateStandards
SC8.3.1Studentswillinvestigateanddescribethestructureandfunctionofliving
organisms.
SC8.3.1.dIdentifytheorgansandfunctionsofthemajorsystemsofthehumanbodyand
describewaysthatthesesystemsinteractwitheachother
NextGenerationScienceStandards
MS
Useargumentsupportedbyevidenceforhowthebodyisasystem
LS13.
ofinteractingsubsystemscomposedofgroupsofcells.[Assessmentislimited
tothecirculatory,excretory,digestive,respiratory,muscular,andnervous
systems.]
MS
LS18.

Gatherandsynthesizeinformationthatsensoryreceptorsrespondtostimuli
bysendingmessagestothebrainforimmediatebehaviororstorageas
memories.

InquiryStandards:
SC8.1.1Studentswilldesignandconductinvestigationsthatwillleadtodescriptionsof
relationshipsbetweenevidenceandexplanations.

SC8.1.1.gEvaluatepredictions,drawlogicalinferencesbasedonobserved
patterns/relationships,andaccountfornonrelevantinformation
SC8.1.1.hShareinformation,procedures,results,andconclusionswith
appropriateaudiences
OutlineofScienceContentandKeyIdeas/Concepts/Theories:
WeekOne(Days15):
Monday:Observation,Inquiry,andDataCollectiononBodySystems
Thehumanbodyismadeupofdifferentsystemsandeachplaysarole.
Tuesday:SharingofResultsandGeneralizationsofUnit;IntroduceGroup
Project
Wednesday:BodyOrganization:cells,tissues,organs,organsystem,
organisms
Vocabulary:cell,cellmembrane,nucleus,tissue,muscletissue,nervous
tissue,connectivetissue,epithelialtissue,organ,andorgansystem

Thursday:Homeostasis:inquirysmallgroupactivitiesconnecting
homeostasistodifferentsystems
Vocabulary:homeostasisandstress
Homeostasisistheprocessbywhichanorganismsinternalenvironment
iskeptstableinspiteofchangesintheexternalenvironment.
Friday:ConstructionofHomeostasisActivity
WeekTwo(Days510):
Monday:Bones
Vocabulary:skeleton,vertebrae,cartilage,compactbone,spongybone,
andmarrow
Theskeletalsystemprovidesshapeandsupport,enablesanorganismto
move,protectsorgans,producesbloodcells,andstoresmineralsandother
materials.
Bonesarecomplexlivingstructuresthatundergogrowthand
development.
Tuesday:MusclesMakeUsMove!
Wednesday:ContinuationofMuscleswithVocabularyandConcepts
Vocabulary:involuntarymuscle,voluntarymuscle,skeletalmuscle,
tendon
Thebodyhasthreetypesofmuscletissueskeletal,smooth,andcardiac.
Skeletalmusclesworkinpairs,whileonecontacts,theotherrelaxes.
Thursday:Skin
Vocabulary:epidermis,dermis,pore,andfollicle
Theskinhasseveralfunction:protection,maintainingtemperature,
eliminatingwastes,gatheringinformation,andmakingVitaminD.

Friday:DiseasesthatImpactTheseSystems
WeekThree(Days1115):
Monday:DigestionInquiryActivity
Tuesday:DigestiveSystem
Vocabulary:digestion,absorption,saliva,esophagus,mucus,peristalsis,
stomach,smallintestine,liver,bile,gallbladder,pancreas,villus,large
intestine,rectum,anus
Thedigestivesystembreaksdownfoodintomoleculesthatthebodycan
use.
Therearetwotypesofdigestion;theyarecalledmechanicalandchemical.
Theesophaguscontractstopushthefoodtowardsthestomach
Mostmechanicaldigestionandsomechemicaldigestionoccursinthe
stomach.
Chemicaldigestionandabsorptionhappeninthesmallintestine.
Theliverproducesbileandbreaksupfats.
Thepancreasproducesenzymes,whichhelpsbreakdownfood.
Thelargeintestineabsorbswaterandprepareswasteforelimination.
Wednesday:DigestiveNarrative
Thursday:ExcretorySystem
Vocabulary:excretion,kidney,urea,urine,ureter,andurinarybladder
Theexcretorysystemisthesystemofthebodythatcollectswaste
producedbycellsandremovesthewastefromthebody.
Excretionmaintainshomeostasisbykeepingthebodysinternal
environmentstableandfreeofharmfullevelsofchemicals.
Friday:ConnectionofDigestionandExcretory
Thesetwosystemsworktogethertohelpexpelwastes.
WeekFour(Days1620):
Monday:WorkingOutandWorkingTogether
Tuesday:TheCirculatorySystem
Vocabulary:heart,atrium,ventricle,valve,artery,capillary,vein,and
aorta
Theheartandbloodvesselscarryneededsubstancestocellsandcarry
wasteproductsawayfromcells.
Thetrackofbloodinthecirculatorysystem.
Wednesday:TheRespiratorySystem
Vocabulary:respiration,pharynx,trachea,bronchi,lungs,alveoli,and
diaphragm
Therespiratorysystemmovesoxygenfromtheoutsideenvironmentinto
thebody.Italsoremovescarbondioxideandwaterfromthebody.
Thetrackairtakesasonetakesabreathinandabreathout.
Thursday:DiseasesoftheHeartandLungs
Vocabulary:atherosclerosis,hypertension,heartattack

Tohelpmaintaincardiovascularhealth,peopleshouldexerciseregularly,
eatabalanceddiet,andavoidsmoking.
Friday:ConnectionofCirculatoryandRespiratorytoEssentialQuestion
WeekFive(Days2125):
Monday:NervousSystem
Vocabulary:neuron,nerveimpulse,dendrite,axon,nerve,andsynapse
Thenervoussystemdirectshowyourbodyrespondstoinformationabout
whatishappeningbothinsideandoutsidethebody.
Foranerveimpulsetobecarried,itmustcrossthegapfromtheaxonto
thenextstructure
Tuesday:TheNervousSystemandtheBrain
Vocabulary:centralnervoussystem,peripheralnervoussystem,brain,
spinalcord,andreflex
Thecentralnervoussystemisthecontrolsystemofthebody.
Theperipheralnervoussystemconsistsofanetworkofnervesthatbranch
fromthecentralnervoussystemandconnectsittotherestofthebody.
Wednesday:StudentPresentations
Thursday:StudentPresentations
Friday:Review
WeekSix(Day26):
Monday:TestOverUnit

SummaryofAssessment:
Manytypesofassessmentwillbeusedthroughouttheunitinordertoseehowthe
studentsaredoinginlearningtheinformation.Manyinformalformativeassessments
willbedoneduringtheinquiryactivities.Walkingaroundtheroom,helpingtoanswer
questions,andlisteninginonwhatstudentsaresayingtoeachothergivesaglimpseinto
whatstudentsunderstandwellandwhatneedstobeaddressedspecificallyandmaybe
again.Diagnosticassessmentswillalsobedoneatthebeginningofmostlessonsand
newtopicsinordertogetagaugeonwhatstudentsunderstandandwhatpriorknowledge
theyhave.Lastly,duringminilecturesandothermoreteacherledportionsoftheclass,
quickchecksforunderstandingwillbeessentialtomakesurestudentsareunderstanding
theinformationasitisbeingpresented.
Summativeassessmentswillcomeinafewdifferentformsthroughoutthelesson.
Attheendofeachweek,sciencenotebookswillbecollected.Thiswillhelpseetheir

ideasduringtheactivitiesaswellasconclusionsaftertheinquiryactivitiesandserveasa
completiongrade.Afterthehomeostasisexperimentconstructionondayfive,students
willturnintheirprocedureforasummativegradebecausehomeostasiswillnotbe
coveredagainindetailandthisshowstheirworkininquiryanddesigningaprocedure.
Thedigestivewritingassignmentswillalsobecollectedandsummativegradedbecause
thiswillbethelasttimethedigestivesystemistalkedaboutindetail.Thewriting
assignmentoncirculatory/respiratorydiseaseswillbeturnedinasasummativegrade.
Presentationsactasanalternativeassessment,whichwillbegradedasalargeproject
grade.Finally,thetestattheendoftheunitisthefinal,largesummativegrade.